The Atlantic is teeming with tropical activity as Jerry, Karen and Lorenzo meander across the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and meteorologists say another threat could brew closer to the United States in the coming days.
The western Caribbean to the western Gulf of Mexico could be the next area to watch for potential tropical development into the first part of October, meteorologists warn.
"We expect a large counterclockwise wind pattern to develop over Central America in the coming days," Dan Kottlowski, AccuWeather's top hurricane expert, said. A broad circulation such as this is referred to as a gyre by meteorologists, and such a pattern could create a conducive environment for additional tropical systems to form.
"This gyre can sometimes help to spin up one or multiple tropical depressions or storms either in the East Pacific, western Caribbean or western Gulf of Mexico," Kottlowski said.
Meanwhile, a general uptick in showers and thunderstorms is expected over Central America and central, eastern and southern Mexico in the coming days as the gyre and smaller disturbances materialize.
Incidents of localized flooding, mudslides and gusty winds are possible.
Lorenzo joins Jerry and Karen in the Atlantic basin. There is now a trio of active tropical cyclones spinning in the basin at the same time, and the latest addition is intensifying quickly.
"We expect Lorenzo to become the Atlantic season's next major hurricane this week," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.
As of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Lorenzo was a category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
Steering winds will guide Lorenzo on a west-northwesterly track into the middle of this week.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING DISCONTINUED FOR PUERTO RICO AND ALL OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Tropical Storm Karen spread across Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Tuesday as the slow-moving storm continued its track. Tropical Storm Warnings that were in place over Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been discontinued as of early Wednesday morning.
The storm was closing in on Puerto Rico after a 6.0 earthquake struck off the island's northwest coast late Monday. No damage was reported, according to the Associated Press.
A 4.9-magnitude quake struck on Tuesday night close to the same location, while Karen was hovering over the island. More than 50 tremors have rattled the area within 24 hours, ranging in magnitudes from 2.5 to 6.0.
Karen weakened from a tropical storm to a tropical depression on Monday afternoon, but regained tropical storm status early Tuesday morning.
By 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Karen was located about 155 miles north-northeast of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
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